The Wasp — 1890 — page 49: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page features a biographical profile of **Hon. John T. Gaffey**, an Irish-born California politician and journalist. The accompanying engraved portrait shows a mustachioed man in formal attire. The page includes several satirical anecdotes mocking various subjects: - **"Pipps' Patent"**: A humorous story about an editor confronting an inventor with a box claiming to solve business problems—satirizing dubious patent medicines and get-rich-quick schemes popular in the era. - **"Thackeray's Nose"**: A gossip piece about William Makepeace Thackeray's broken nose, exemplifying *The Wasp*'s irreverent approach to literary figures. - Brief joke sections mock everyday pretensions and medical quackery. The content exemplifies *The Wasp*'s satirical style: puncturing inflated claims, exposing humbug, and using humor to critique contemporary society.